Franklin County

Storms knock down trees in Franklin County CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Trees and other debris from a fast-moving line of tunderstorms blocked some lanes of travel Tuesday on Franklin County, Pa., roads, particularly in the hard-hit St. Thomas and Fort Loudon areas, according to 911 dispatchers. However, no roads in Franklin County were completely closed at 5:15 p.m., dispatchers said. St. Thomas Fire Department sent crews out evaluating problem spots, according to personnel on station.

Franklin County ballots for Pennsylvania's April 24 primary election are changing to reflect objections filed in court regarding candidates' nominating paperwork. Two county men will not appear on ballots as planned. Travis Schooley of Quincy Township, Pa., will not appear as a candidate for the Ninth District in the U.S. House of Representatives and James B. Taylor of Mercersburg, Pa., will not be listed as a candidate for the 33rd District in the Pennsylvania Senate. Both received challenges to their nominating petitions based on not having enough valid signatures from registered voters.

Commissioners pass resolution for fire cleanup, repairs The Franklin County (Pa.) Commissioners on Thursday passed an emergency resolution that will allow for repairs and cleanup following a May 17 fire in their building. Sparks from demolition of an adjacent building ignited the commissioners' office building at 14 N. Main St. The second-floor meeting room and two offices sustained “extensive water damage,” County Administrator John Hart said Thursday.

The Franklin County (Pa.) Commissioners recently adopted a new comprehensive plan for the county with a strategy for proper growth and conservation. “This project began in late 2010 and was a collaborative process involving numerous meetings and interviews to gather input from all segments of the community, including local governments, school districts, business and community leaders, and the general public,” Planning Director Phil Tarquino said in a news release. The latest revision to the comprehensive plan is called “Franklin County Forward.” The plan calls for an information resource center within the Franklin County Planning Department.

Animal shelter to host Sanctioned B match CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter is hosting “Me and My Mutt at the Match” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, on the grounds of the shelter, 5051 Letterkenny Road West. The Chambersburg Kennel Club will hold its Sanctioned B Match with registration at 9 a.m. and judging starting at 10 a.m. An agility course will be set up for participants to take their dogs through, and Canine Good Citizen testing will be done for $5 for shelter alumni and $10 for all others.

A man police said robbed a bank in Franklin County later died and several troopers were injured after a pursuit that ended in Cumberland County, according to Pennsylvania State Police. State police responded to an armed robbery of an M&T Bank at 1798 Lincoln Way East in Guilford Township, Pa., shortly before 5 p.m. Monday, state police spokesman Trooper Robert Hicks said in a news release. The male suspect in the 4:52 p.m. robbery was driving a black minivan spotted by a trooper, Hicks said.

The Franklin County, Pa., district attorney said he has investigated and cleared Pennsylvania State Police of any wrongdoing in the Labor Day shooting of a man in St. Thomas Township. Police fatally shot Philip E. Rank, 47, when he fled his house at 599 St. Thomas-Williamson Road during a standoff Monday. When troopers attempted to serve an arrest warrant on an aggravated assault charge that morning, Rank barricaded himself in the home for five hours. During negotiations, Rank said he had two semiautomatic rifles and 75 rounds of ammunition, and he claimed to have his scope trained on a trooper, District Attorney Matt Fogal said in a statement this weekend.

Six bridges in Franklin County and five in Fulton County are among about 1,000 in the state that will be subject to lower weight restrictions to slow their deterioration and ensure safety. New sign postings began last week and could take several months, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials. Pennsylvania State Police and local officers will enforce the new weight restrictions, PennDOT spokesman Mike Crochunis said last week. The weight restrictions were added to about 1,000 structurally deficient bridges across the state to ensure bridge safety and to preserve the aging bridge system, PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said in a news release last month.

Pennsylvania State Police on Tuesday released the name of a man who troopers shot and killed a day earlier, but offered no further information about the incident. Police fatally shot Philip E. Rank, 47, when he fled his house during a standoff Monday. “During the negotiations for his surrender, (Rank) disregarded commands and fled the residence with multiple firearms,” Trooper Robert Hicks said at the scene Monday afternoon. Rank encountered troopers who had established a perimeter around his home in the 500 block of St. Thomas-Williamson Road, and he was shot, Hicks said.

Waynesboro Lions to host golf tournament WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The Waynesboro Lions Club will host its first golf tournament Friday, Sept. 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. The four-person scramble will be held at Mountain View Golf Course at 4099 Bullfrog Road in Fairfield, Pa. Additional teams are being sought for the event. The tournament costs $75 for an individual golfer or $300 for a four-person team. The morning includes greens fees, carts, refreshments, team prizes, contests, a lunch buffet and awards.

A Waynesboro, Pa., man identified in court documents as a pastor waived his mandatory arraignment Wednesday on charges he sexually assaulted two children. Carl William Bittle Sr., 69, of Strickler Avenue, is charged with one third-degree felony count of indecent assault of a person younger than 13. He also is charged with two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person younger than 13 and one count of corruption of minors. The charges appear on two criminal complaints filed in Franklin County, Pa. Because Bittle waived arraignment, a not-guilty plea will automatically be entered on his behalf as the cases proceed to trial.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Franklin County, Pa., dropped 0.1 percent in July, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The rate stood at 6.4 percent. It included a reported loss of 700 jobs, largely due to the end of the academic year at public schools. In neighboring Fulton County, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.3 percent to 9.1 percent, placing the county's unemployment higher than a year prior.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Franklin County, Pa., dropped 0.1 percent in July, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The rate stood at 6.4 percent. It included a reported loss of 700 jobs, largely due to the end of the academic year at public schools. In neighboring Fulton County, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.3 percent to 9.1 percent, placing the county's unemployment higher than a year prior.